AMID the rapid technological advancements, particularly in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said that his ministry (Kesuma) had completed a comprehensive report at the end of last year.
Sim said the report focuses on the impact of AI, digitalisation, and the green economy on Malaysia’s job market.
“Sixty percent of the report comprises input from various stakeholders who have a clear understanding of the changes and developments expected to take place over the next three to five years.
“This is why stakeholders from 10 key economic sectors in the country were engaged in the report. The aim of the report is to drive Kesuma develop effective policies and formulate strategies concerning skills training.
“Kesuma uses accurate data and does not rely on guesswork when anticipating future changes,” he added.
Sim shared this during a press conference following the opening ceremony of the 52nd ARTDO International Conference yesterday (July 28). The conference focuses on talent acceleration, fostering a coaching culture, and strengthening digital leadership.
According to Sim, the report also identifies the current occupations that will be affected and outlines possible measures to address the impact, such as upskilling and reskilling.
“The report also found that these economic changes will lead to the creation of new jobs. So, it is important to identify the skills that young people need to be equipped with in order to venture into these emerging roles.
“These resources are made available through the MyMAHIR portal by TalentCorp under Kesuma, enabling individuals and businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to be thoroughly prepared to face future challenges.
“As of now, we already offer courses related to IR (Industry Revolution) 4.0 and several traditional skills. Moving forward, we will also review the syllabus to incorporate basic literacy in AI.
“This ensures that trainees, even if not working directly in AI, will have basic knowledge of it, since AI will influence nearly every sector,” Sim said.
Apart from that, Sim said that under Kesuma, there are a total of 33 TVET institutions in Malaysia. He said, the ministry will also collaborate with other TVET institutions, including those in the private sector. Beyond this, it aims to organise more basic literacy in AI courses.
Sim also provided examples of emerging AI-driven roles, including prompt engineers.
“We need people with strong AI expertise to manage and create AI systems, along with broad AI literacy among the public.
“People often say AI does not need humans, but it still needs a human touch to check and improve its responses. With the introduction of AI, some workers may not lose their jobs but will be impacted in other ways.
“For instance, an engineer who undergoes upskilling and reskilling to operate AI will be able to perform better. At this stage, it is essential for workers to equip themselves with the necessary skills to stay relevant.
“The report is not just used as a source of data, but also to develop solutions. It highlights several skill gaps, which we aim to address by matching them with relevant skill courses through our MyMAHIR portal,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sim, who is a big fan of poetry, mentioned a well-known poem by British poet Rudyard Kipling in his opening speech. The poem, titled ‘The Secret of the Machines’, talks about the relationship between humans and technology.
Sim explained that in the poem, the machines are given human-like voices and describe their great power. They also warn that while they can help people, they can also cause harm if misused.
Recognising the demands of the 21st-century economy, Sim expressed hope that ASEAN countries can partner and grow together.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Alissala Thian